Well, I missed the parade

I didn't miss the windows rattling while fighter jets buzzed the city, though. Even though I couldn't see them.

It being a national holiday, I stuck close to home until mid-afternoon, since all the archaeological sites and libraries would be closed anyway. But eventually I went down to Plaka, and had a kebab and some frozen yoghurt, and walked up around the Roman agora and back down to the square at Monastiraki, where an African drum band of some description was playing. Recorded drum music never quite captures the bass tremor, the reverberation of beat in one's diaphragm. The guys playing were so obviously having fun, and I wanted to dance really badly - but no one else was dancing.

So I came home and went out for a run - I lie, it was more of a shuffle - for the count of one hundred in the park. My wind is so gone. But if I try to do that every couple of days, it'll get easier.

Now, I suppose, I should work on this review. Since I'm supposed to be dedicating the rest of the week to research...

Books 2014: It is surprisingly freeing not to be surrounded by TBR piles right now

Books 2014: 46-52


46. S.L. Huang, Zero Sum Game. Ebook, 2014. Forthcoming. Copy courtesy of author.

This is a very fun book, in a subgenre-crossing way. Set in LA, it strikes me as tonally urban fantasy but with a science fiction explanation. And maybe a little superhero genre thrown in.


47. Nnedi Okorafor, Lagoon. Hodder & Stoughton, 2014. Forthcoming. Copy courtesy of publisher.

I've talked about this elsewhere. A really interesting book.


48. Kate Elliott, The Law of Becoming. Ebook, date that I should look up but won't. (1994?)

Final Jaran book. Will mention in column. Interesting, if one has read the previous books. Sprawling. Surprising. Enjoyed it.


49. Sophia McDougall, Mars Evacuees. Egmont, 2014. Forthcoming. Copy courtesy of author.

Very fun science fiction story aimed at 9-12s. Have mentioned elsewhere, will mention in column.


50. Django Wexler, The Forbidden Library. Doubleday, 2014. Forthcoming. Copy courtesy of publisher.

Very fun fantasy story aimed at 9-12s. Have mentioned elsewhere.


51. Karen Healey, While We Run. Little, Brown & Co., 2014. Forthcoming. Copy courtesy of publisher.

Really good science fiction. Read for review for Tor.com. Highly recommended.


52. Greg van Eekhout, California Bones. Tor, 2014. Forthcoming. Copy courtesy of Tor.com.

Read for review for Tor.com. This is a really good heist novel with some deeply interesting worldbuilding. Highly recommended.